The Travelers
by socorrokitty
Summary: Ianto picks up a stray cat after answering a Rift alert with the team. Little does he know the tiny cat is far from what he believes it to be.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This little plot bunny has been bugging me for ages, so I decided to buckle down and write! Hope you enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from Torchwood. This is unbeta'd, so any and all mistakes are mine. Set post S2E3 'To The Last Man.'**

* * *

><p>"Hurry, hurry! They're coming!"<p>

"He can't, don't you see that!"

"What the hell is it?!"

"We don't have time to think! We can't let them get the Globe! Sit down and fasten your seat-belts, I'm going straight through that storm!"

The orange-haired man piloting the escaped ship grinned back at his five companions. The rag-tag group of survivors looked frightened, but at the same time, there was a wild gleam of excitement in their eyes. He knew they were prepared to die for their Globe. A red-haired man yelped in unison with his twin as their ship shuddered and jolted suddenly. The ship groaned before a siren began to wail.

_Danger! Right Engine Failure! Danger! External Shields at 15% Power! Danger!_

The orange-haired man cursed and turned back to the front. A dark-haired woman with dark eyes gripped the arms of her chair.

"What the hell do we do now?" She shouted above the racket, her sharp nails tearing into the fabric. The orange-haired man grinned even wider.

"We're only one engine down! We can still get through that storm, we have to; it's the only way!" The woman stared at him, her ears lying flat against her head as fear began to set in. Despite her obvious nerves, she nodded firmly, gritting her teeth. The ginger gave a small reassuring smile, before turning back to the front.

"If you believe in a god, start praying now! Here we go!" the man gave a wild whoop as the ship dove straight into the storm. The survivors shrieked as lightening flashed by their windows and the ship jerked uncontrollably. For several moments, the group was deafened by a cacophony of wailing sirens and the groaning of the ship. There was a sudden flash of bright white.

Then, abruptly, the ground of another planet was rushing up to meet them. The pilot knew both engines were down by now and the rest of the power was fading quickly. He suddenly jumped to his feet, his ginger tail that was hidden behind his back suddenly fluffing out.

"Quick, get to the Globe!"

The survivors didn't hesitate; they scrambled to the back of the ship quickly, knowing they were coming closer and closer to the ground of the unknown planet.

"Put your hands on it, it'll protect you. Globe, where are we?" The orange-haired man demanded, placing his hand on the glowing orb. The others followed suit.

A grin spread on his face as the Globe answered with a soft murmur to their minds:

_21st Century, Earth_

The ginger man laughed almost hysterically, his eyes flicking to the faces of each of the survivors. "You know what to do then; blend. Don't worry, we may be separated, but I promise, we'll find each other!"

They heard the ship hit the ground, before a white light glowing from the Globe drowned out their other senses.

* * *

><p>"Why does the rift have to be so bloody noisy at night," Ianto heard Owen grumble from the front of the SUV. "Can't a hard-working man get at least a few hours of sleep every now and then?" he moaned on, glaring out the window at the dark country whizzing by.<p>

"Nope! Part of the job Owen," Jack replied cheerfully, irritating the ill-tempered medic that much more.

Ianto rolled his eyes as he squeezed the bridge of his nose. It was too early to have to endure Owen's groaning and Jack's chipper attitude. He could tell Toshiko was just as tired by the way she slumped in her seat. She was attempting to distract herself by burying her nose in her scanner, but Ianto knew it wasn't working when she tensed further as Owen complained about the 'bloody rift' once more. He wondered if she regretted suggesting they pick Owen up on the way.

It had been around midnight when the rift alarm had flared to life. Ianto was, as always, hovering around the Hub, waiting for Tosh to pack up and leave so that he could talk to Jack. The technical genius, however, was determined to finish reprograming her computer so that it would run faster. Faster! Ianto didn't think that was possible; despite that, however, he didn't bother her about leaving after she declined a second time. Jack didn't seem bothered by her presence so late in the Hub, so he let it lie.

Ianto sighed, rubbing his face. He wondered if allowing Tosh to stay was another way of avoiding him ; most of the time he made the team leave by ten at the latest as long as there weren't any rift spikes predicted to go off in the near future. Even then Jack would send them on their ways and deal with himself, sometimes with the aid of Ianto. Lately, however, that had changed.

It seemed like Jack was withdrawing from Ianto. The man had often ordered Ianto to go home with the others, or asked him to leave directly after their messy, clumsy, but still quite wonderful shags. Ianto would be lying if he said he wasn't at least a little hurt.

The Welshman had thought Jack was trying to change their relationship around after he had returned from his trip with his Doctor. They had gone out on their date, and Jack had started to open up to him a little more, but he abruptly shut him out after the incident with Tommy. Ianto couldn't find out what exactly he had done wrong. He wanted to know so that he could fix it, he wanted to make things right with Jack, but he had no idea how to approach the Immortal. Ianto was afraid Jack would laugh in his face; he didn't know what he'd do if he actually heard Jack reject him.

He was roused from his troubled thoughts as the SUV screeched to an abrupt stop. Jack jumped out immediately, his coat tail flapping around his ankles as he ran towards a smoldering hunk of metal. Owen grabbed his kit, suddenly extremely serious, and hurried after Jack with Tosh on his heels, her eyes still glued on her scanner.

Ianto watched the three circle around the carnage of the ship as he circled around the back of the SUV, waiting for further instructions about the clean-up. He kept one ear to the road, wondering when Gwen was going to arrive. The Welshwoman had a habit of being extremely late if they didn't pick her up with them. It never got addressed, for each and every time, Jack let it slide.

Ianto shook off his bitterness as Tosh's voice crackled to life in his ear.

"I've detected no signs of life. There aren't any harmful gasses; you should be alright to head in Jack."

Ianto watched his Captain force his way into his ship as Tosh scanned the surrounding area for any debris that may have flown off the ship from the impact. He turned away from the team as Gwen's car finally pulled up beside the SUV. She hopped out and looked towards the ship with wide eyes. She didn't even acknowledge Ianto as she pushed by him, hurrying over to try and help with the investigation.

Ianto couldn't help but roll his eyes slightly as Gwen fluttered around the three team mates hard at work. He knew he shouldn't be so spiteful; she only wanted to help after all, but something about her always irritated Ianto. A small voice in the back of his mind told him it was because Jack treated her so differently, but Ianto's pride forced that admission to the back of his mind.

Ianto straightened up as Jack exited the ship, holding something in his hands. It shone bright white and seemed to quiver in his hands, bathing the deserted field in a soft, white glow. Ianto pulled a containment box out of the boot of the SUV and made his way over, his feet squelching in the damp grass.

Everyone had stopped to admire the orb, seemingly entranced by the glowing white; even Ianto had slowed to watch the light glow and pulsate in Jack's hands. He was also the first to recover. He shoved the containment box towards Jack's hands, tilting his head. Jack shook his head, trying to clear the fuzz, before he lowered it into the box. As Ianto fit the lid over the box, the trance was broken. Gwen blinked, and Tosh shook her head, her eyes shining.

"Wow… what was that?" she asked, her voice hushed and a little excited. Jack looked at the containment box, his brows furrowed.

"Don't know. But that's not important now. We've got this whole ship to move to the Hub. I'd like to get this finished before daybreak," he said, turning to look at the cooling ship.

"We'll need to break it up and take it in pieces. We could stop by the Hub, drop off the containment box, and grab some equipment to bring it in," Gwen suggested, holding the box firmly to his chest. Jack glanced at her briefly with a small smile before nodding, turning back to address the group.

"Good idea. This'll have to be a team effort, alright? Let's head back," Jack said, sweeping his coat dramatically as he made his way back to the SUV. Owen rolled his eyes as they followed suit.

"Fantastic. Another bloody all-nighter," Owen grumbled, picking his way through the grass with a frown on his face. Ianto couldn't help but agree.

Day was breaking by the time the team finished up with the cleanup. A good timing too; Ianto was sure a few cars would travel on this road today, no matter how deserted this part of Cardiff was.

He put his hands on his hips, his tie, waistcoat, and suit jacket by now long abandoned. He watched Jack put the last box into the boot of the SUV and slam the trunk shut. The girls and Owen had crawled back to the SUV an hour ago, all three dizzy with exhaustion. Jack and Ianto, however, were used to all-nighters and weevil hunts at three a.m., and finished up cutting the ship into pieces and loading them into the boot.

'It's just us now… perhaps I could speak to him,' Ianto thought briefly as he watched Jack steadily avoid his gaze by checking the area for more obvious pieces. He chewed on his lower lip slightly before perking up when Jack breathed in heavily.

"Well! Another job well-done, I think. Thanks for sticking through for me, Ianto," Jack said, still refusing to look him in the eyes. He instead focused on the space behind his head. Ianto knew this was getting serious; Jack had yet to say some salacious about his sweaty, disheveled attire.

Ianto nodded, but didn't reply. The two men stood awkwardly beside each other, both stiff, both uncomfortable. Ianto opened his mouth to approach the topic, but Jack abruptly turned on his heel and walked to the driver's side of the SUV. He hopped into the car and roused the team, asking them to buckle up. Ianto watched them, his heart heavy. He and Jack really did need to talk properly, even if it was to split up. His heart ached for a moment, before he brushed it aside and headed to the back door of the SUV.

Just as he was placing his hand on the door handle, he heard a noise behind him. He turned his head back slightly to look behind him. His eyes widened slightly.

There, strolling towards him was a smallish orange tabby. He held his ginger tail straight up in the air, the orange hair turning golden in the morning sun. It mewled at him, its green eyes looking directly into Ianto's. He felt a small shiver work its way down his spine at the human like qualities of the small cat. He squatted down and held out a hand to the animal. It approached Ianto cautiously, before nudging his hand with its tiny black nose. Ianto knew he was a goner.

He stood and opened up the SUV door, ignoring Owen's cranky barbs as he snatched his suit jacket from the seat beside Gwen. He turned and crouched again, scooping up the small animal, before climbing into the car.

"'Bout bloody time! Jesus, did you take all that time for that scrawny thing? I thought the bleeding heart trait was Gwen's thing," the medic grumbled, crossing his arms in the front seat. Ianto looked up and noticed that everyone but Tosh was thoroughly annoyed with his actions. They were all ready to go home, but he had to stop and save a stupid cat. He decided to ignore the disapproval and exasperation and focused on the small animal.

He ran two fingers under its chin and the tabby purred in response, nudging his fingers once more with his wet nose. Ianto chuckled fondly, and cradled the small animal to his chest. Yes, he really didn't mind Owen's whining; he had a feeling this cat would help him with his loneliness at home, especially seeing as Jack never came home anymore.

Jack watched the small affection smile spread across Ianto's face and his fingers tightened on the steering wheel. His heart ached slightly; he wished he was the one making Ianto grin like that, but he knew he had given up that right when he began to distance himself from Ianto. He turned his attention away from the Welshman to the road, pushing the aching to the back of his mind.

* * *

><p>"Is he crazy?"<p>

"Well… you did see how he piloted that ship…"

"Point. But really? Going with some aliens? The same aliens that chopped up our getaway ship and stole the Globe?!"

"I'm sure he knows what he's doing… he got us to the ground in one piece."

"Ug... I hope he doesn't expect us to rescue him."

The dark-haired woman grumbled in partial fear and exasperation, laying low in the long grass alongside the four other survivors. They all watched the car speed away down the road. The one with goggles pulled out a small device and clicked a few buttons on the screen.

"21st century, Earth," the survivor's eyes widened. "Oh! He's right, we can blend! We kinda look like them… well, minus these ears and tails." The survivor scratched is long clawed fingernail against his cheek. "I suppose we could use the form the Globe gave us when we landed. The pilot used it and they seemed to think he was normal… we'd be small, but at least we wouldn't draw attention to ourselves."

The other survivors looked at him, before flicking their slit eyes towards the dark-haired woman. The one red-headed twin smiled brightly and nodded. "I think that's alright! I'm sure he'll need our help later, even though he trying to play big damn hero. Plus, we can't leave him and the Globe behind. We'll just have to trust them both."

His twin nodded and clasped her hands together, bringing them to her lips. "Come on! Let's go, it can't hurt! Plus, this place looks amazing! We should explore; that is what we're best at after all. I don't think I've been to Earth yet!" she seemed to vibrate with excitement, and her twin shook his head fondly.

The final member of the group nodded slowly, his bluish hair floating around his head. "We have nothing else to do. Let's change and go."

The dark-haired woman, who had unconsciously taken the leadership position, gazed around the group, before nodding. "Okay, if we're all in agreement, I guess we're going."

* * *

><p>The captain of the Slanerian battle ship snarled in annoyance and slammed his fists on the control pannel of his ship. The ship beeped angrily and the captain growled and pushed away from the board, turning to face his crew.<p>

"They escaped through that storm. The ship recorded the readings; I need all of you to search for these indicators. We aren't letting those pathetic Tupani slip through our fingers," his fingers curled into fist as he stared at the metal grating on the floor.

"Now!" he barked his pale blue skin rippling with anger as they stared at him in fear. The others jumped to attention, being to dart around their work spaces. The captain leaned back in his chair.

"Don't think you've won, Tupani. I'll get the Globe. Just watch me."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'd love to know if you liked it! Feedback is always appreciated. Thanks for reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Thanks to everyone who alerted, favorited, and reviewed! **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from Torchwood. This is unbeta'd so any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

><p>Ianto opened up the door with one hand, the other holding the orange cat firmly to his chest. The cat was nosing his neck gently, purring and mewling loudly in his ear. He chuckled softly, finally fitting the key in the lock and pushing the door open.<p>

"Yes, you sound hungry, yes I know," Ianto said softly, a small smile on his face. Ianto, despite being excruciatingly tired, had trekked to the grocery store, hiding the small orange cat in his jacket as he quickly picked up litter, a litter box, and some generic cat food. He smiled as he set the cat down with his jacket, allowing it to cautiously peek its head out, before brushing off the jacket and padding into the living room.

Ianto smiled and headed to the kitchen, pulling a plastic container out of his cupboard and filling it with water, before pulling out another and filling it with the generic cat food. The cat, hearing the tinkle of food, scurried into the kitchen, his orange tail sticking straight up in the air. Ianto chuckled and turn, deciding to whip up a quick snack before he headed off to bed. When he discovered how bare his cabinets were, he settled for making a sandwich.

He fixed himself the makeshift breakfast and leaned against the fridge as he began to eat, his fingers drumming on the counter. It was at that point that he noticed the cat had yet to touch his food and seemed to be scowling up at him. Ianto arched an eyebrow at him.

"It's really that bad, huh?" he asked, before opening his sandwich and pulling out a piece of the meat. He put the slice down on the ground and the orange tom shivered with excitement, immediately pouncing on the turkey. Ianto laughed fondly, eating the last bite of the sandwich.

"I'll keep that in mind for next time then. You're a picky eater for a stray," he commented, heading for his bedroom. He shed his dress shirt and belt by the time he got there, too tired to think about the mess he was making. He slipped out of his trousers and socks and crawled into bed with just his pants on. He sighed, loving the feeling of the cool sheets caressing his body.

He was almost asleep when he heard a small squeak of a door opening. Before he could react, a purring lump of orange jumped up on the bed and padded towards him. The tom kneaded the blankets on Ianto's chest for a moment, before curling up in the juncture of Ianto's neck and shoulder, his muzzle directly by Ianto's ear. The Welshman smiled and stroked the cat's back gently, finding the action soothing.

He drifted to sleep easily with the warmth of the cat on his neck and chest.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Ianto was awoken by a soft, pathetic mewl. He cracked his eyes open and stared at the orange tom, who was pressing his cold, wet nose against his neck. Ianto pushed the tom away and glanced towards the clock on his bed table. He squinted at the red numbers for a few moments, before he stretched and yawned, dislodging the cat once again. The cat mewled at him again, this time more offended than anything else.<p>

Ianto threw his legs over the side of the bed and ran a hand through his hair, stifling another yawn. "Don't look at me like that, you were the one laying on me," he said, standing and shivering as his bare feet hit the cold floor.

"I should pop into work for a few hours, maybe cross reference some of the identified objects in the archives with the orb we found yesterday," he said to absolutely no one. To his surprise, however, the cat seemed to be watching him intently, not even his tail twitching.

"You sure are intense…umm... huh, you don't have a name do you?" Ianto said, once more, to an empty room. Well… not a completely empty room. He pet the cat's head gently, before saying. "Tangerine. How about that? I'm not usually one for naming animals after foods, but it fits. What do you think, Tangerine?" Ianto asked the tom, before pulling back and pausing. Was he really trying to have a conversation with this cat? Was he honestly trying to get the cat to respond, or was he just talking to himself. He shook his head, blaming it on lack of sleep.

"This job is getting to me, asking cat's questions," Ianto grumbled as he padded over to the bathroom, Tangerine hot on his tail. The orange tom slipped in right as he was shutting the door, and Ianto arched an eyebrow at the feline. The cat looked back up at him with his green eyes. Ianto rolled his eyes and sighed.

"Fine. Whatever, it's not like you're secretly some lecherous old man," Ianto said, kicking off his boxers. 'Unlike some people I know,' he thought to himself, feeling a little pang shoot through his heart. He pushed it aside as he yawned again, rubbing his eyes. He turned on the water to the shower and waited patiently for the water to heat up.

Tangerine hopped up on the counter and padded to edge, sticking his face out for Ianto to touch. He barely suppressed a small chuckle of fond amusement.

"You're something else, you are. What are you going to do when I go to work every day?" he asked, rubbing behind the tom's ears. The cat seemed to ignore his words and mewl with dejection when Ianto pulled his long fingers away.

"You hush. You haven't been here a whole day and I'm already starting to spoil you," Ianto scolded as he stepped into the hot, steamy spray. He gave a little please groan as the water soothed some of the kinks in his back and shoulders that he had managed to create hauling the containment boxes around.

Tangerine was still waiting patiently on the counter when Ianto shut off the water and wrapped a towel around himself. The tom followed him into the next room, and once again sat and watched Ianto dress, waiting for him to finish. Ianto looked at the orange cat in the mirror as he finished knotting his tie.

"You're a piece of work, aren't you? I bet you're just hungry," Ianto said as he tickled under the cat's chin. "Well, come on then, I'll find something for you since you turned your nose up to the perfectly good cat food I gave you," he said with a put-upon sigh as he exited the room and walked to the kitchen.

He popped some toast in the toaster for himself, before taking another slice of meat out of the fridge and placing it on the pile of cat food still in the plastic container. The tom immediately darted towards the food and began tearing apart the meat. Ianto arched an eyebrow as he fixed up his toast and stuck the corner in his mouth.

"I'll be back soon. I really hope that doesn't make you sick…," Ianto bit his lip in a worried way, before he sighed. He really should check these things so he didn't end up killing this innocent animal. "Well, I guess we'll find out, eh?" he said weakly, before he walked towards the front door.

"Try not to get into anything, will you?" Ianto called behind him, before he stepped out and shut the door behind him.

Tangerine lifted his face from his bowl and flicked his ears as the door slammed shut. He looked around the kitchen before perking up when he spotted a window with the blinds drawn. He hopped onto the kitchen counter and sat himself by the glass, waiting to see if his friends would find him.

* * *

><p>Ianto entered the dark Hub quite nervously. He flipped on the main lights, squinting as the brightness hurt his eyes. He figured nobody would be in today after Jack ordered them to take the day off; only he would dare to come back. If Ianto were to be honest, he was hoping to corner Jack and get some answers. The issue with the glowing orb came second in his mind, as terrible as that sounded. He knew he shouldn't let his personal life get in the way of his work, but it was difficult to separate the two when he was shagging the boss.<p>

Yes, shagging. That's probably what he should call it. Ianto trudged up to the kitchen, glancing at Jack's office as he went. He frowned slightly when he saw the little lamp in his office was off. Ianto wondered if he was asleep, but dismissed that idea immediately as he started up the coffee machine. Jack would never sleep this late, if he slept at all. Not that Ianto knew the ins and outs of his... partner's? Lover's?... sleep schedule.

Ianto pulled Jack's mug down along with his own, planning to make him a cup just in case he came back soon. He guessed Jack was most likely out responding to a Rift alert. At least…he hoped he was…

Pushing the unsettling thought away from him, Ianto focused on the steps to making his wonderful coffee. He was mildly soothed by this, and chose to think about what he would pick up from Tesco today instead of the issue with Jack. He really should find out what is acceptable for cat's to eat instead of playing this quite unhealthy game with his new pet.

He finished both mugs far too quickly for his taste; he knew he could make coffee all day if he could. He picked up both cups and headed straight up to Jack's office. Despite knowing that Jack wasn't there, Ianto knocked lightly out of habit, before stepping inside.

He looked around the office briefly, before placing the coffee cup down on the edge of the table. Ianto remembered wistfully their early morning talks, the ones were Ianto would prop his hip up on the edge of the desk and put up with Jack's wandering hands as they talked aimlessly about anything. Anything but their work. It was a time for just them, a time to forget about the hell they sometimes went through. He missed it so very much.

Ianto shook his head sharply and rolled his eyes at himself; it was not like him to be so sappy and nostalgic. He turned on his heel and quickly left the room, ignoring stubbornly the ache in his heart as he began his descent into the archives.

"Bright white orb, about the size of a head, found inside a ship…"

* * *

><p>Jack swept into the Hub, the blaring of the sirens drowning out the clomp of his boots on the metal floors. He looked around curiously at the now turned on lights. Someone must've come in in the time it took him to take care of those weevils. He felt his heart sink. He had a fairly good idea who that would be.<p>

He headed up to his office and frowned when his suspicions were confirmed. He walked around the side of the desk and plopped down in his chair, picking up the mug setting next to a pile of paperwork that was (probably) never going to be done. The liquid gold was lukewarm by now, signaling to Jack that Ianto hadn't been here long. Knowing the Welshman wasn't one to leave after working only a half hour of overtime, he turned to the monitors and flicked on the CCTV to the archives.

It took him no time to find Ianto, who was pacing back and forth between two cabinets seemingly deep in thought as he stared at the two papers in his hands. Jack smiled at the look of concentration painting his features; the man was too cute for his own good. He continued to watch the man pace, before he sat down and began marking something on one of the documents. It had been a while since he had simply observed Ianto instead of shagging his brains out and leaving.

Jack suddenly wiped the sappy grin of his face and turned off the monitor. He rubbed his face with both hands and rested his elbows on the table. He needed to stop thinking about him. He had made a decision and now he needed to stick by it. It was still hard despite knowing that.

He had never promised Ianto monogamy, and Ianto in turn didn't expect it, but he couldn't help but think of Ianto when he had dared to try it with someone else. The entire time he had been having this… thing with Ianto, he hadn't been with anyone else. He hadn't even tried to shag anyone else until last night… and what a mistake it had been.

He couldn't go through with it. Him, Jack Harkness, intergalactic playboy, couldn't show someone a good time because a certain Welshman was on his mind the entire time. Jack knew the bloke he was going to bed didn't deserve anything less than his undivided attentions for one night, and Ianto, who was a 21st century man with 21st century morals, didn't deserve infidelity before Jack had even cut things off formally with him.

So, he had fled, plain and simple.

He knew things couldn't go on like this. He was destroying them both; he could sense the hurt radiating from Ianto every time he asked him to leave or ignored him. Jack tightened his grip on his hair. This man was driving him up the wall and weakening his resolve. He pushed the matter to the side and sighed.

He didn't have to focus on this now; one more day wouldn't hurt.

* * *

><p>When three hours had passed, Ianto decided to go up and potentially go home. Potentially being the operative word. He wanted to speak to Jack, see if he could fix something, if there was anything to fix. Ianto believed it may just be him; he always figured he wouldn't be exciting enough for Jack, who had seen and done so many things.<p>

Ianto stubbornly ignored that voice in his head and headed up to the main floor with his empty coffee cup. He went to the kitchen and put his mug in the sink, before turning and heading out and up towards Jack's office. His heart thudded loudly when he noticed the man was indeed now there, working on some of the paperwork on his desk.

He stopped in front of the door and took a deep, steadying breath. He clenched his hands into fists and swallowed hard, before a blank mask fell over his face, and he knocked gently. He didn't wait for a reply before he opened up the door and peeked his head inside.

His heart sank a little when Jack didn't look up at all. He didn't even flinch when Ianto walked over and stood in front of his desk. He cleared his throat a little, waiting for Jack to look up. Jack continued to scribble on whatever he was looking at for moment before he looked up. Ianto winced at the bland, uninterested look in his eyes.

"Can I help you, Ianto?" he asked, struggling to keep his voice and expression calm. He saw something akin to despair flash behind the Welshman's eyes and the confidence subtly drained from his body. The man's face remained impassive though.

"I was just about to head home, sir. Do you need anything before I go?" Ianto asked, trying to keep the desperation out of his voice as he stood ever so politely in front of Jack. The other man stared at Ianto for a moment, before he shook his head.

"Nope, I don't need anything from you. You weren't even supposed to come in today," Jack said, disapproval lightly touching his words. Ianto grew a little uncomfortable at his tone.

"I just wanted to see how the investigation of the orb was going, is all sir. I looked through some files in the archives, but nothing matched the device word for word," Ianto said, easily leaning back on work to save himself. That wasn't the point though. He wanted to let Jack know he was still there, that he was still fighting and waiting for the immortal to come around. He shuffled slightly, before he completely bollocked everything up by saying, "I also wanted to see you. Perhaps we could talk?"

Jack's eyes darted to Ianto's quickly, watching as the man stared back. Jack said nothing, and Ianto began to regret ever coming in today. As the silence lengthened, he shifted restlessly.

Jack watched the younger man closely, the stiff shoulders the only indicator Ianto was fighting to remain professional. Jack slowly sat back in his seat, about to take pity on him, when the Rift alarm suddenly blared. Jack was up on his feet in a flash, saved, almost literally, by the bell.

"Well! Duty calls, Ianto! You know how it is. Maybe we can talk later," the captain said as he slipped on his coat by himself. That in itself stung a little, but Ianto ignored it and began to follow him out of his office.

"Do you need help? I could go with you," Ianto offered, having to speed up his pace a little as Jack walked faster. The man looked over his shoulder and flashed his big trademark smile.

"No need. Should be simple enough. The weevils have chosen today of all days to get rowdy, but I promised to let you all sleep, you just haven't taken advantage of the opportunity," Jack said breezily, checking his gun as he began down to the garage. Ianto frowned.

"What if you die again?" he asked, his brows furrowed. Jack actually paused at that, turning around to face him. He almost looked confused for a moment, before he shook his head. The expression cleared and was quickly replaced by slight irritation.

"I'll get right back up. Don't worry, I'll be back in a flash. And I want you out of here before I get back. Don't you have a new cat to take care of?" he asked, and that was it. Jack's tone was light, but Ianto still heard the dangerous undertone that meant the man was serious. Ianto chose not to question his captain further, and remained still and quiet as Jack disappeared through the doors of the underground garage with a flick of his coat tail. His heart sank slightly. That was not how this was supposed to go.

* * *

><p>Tangerine looked up as the key clicking the lock echoed through the house. Ianto pushed open the door gently, his face a mask of confusion and slight hurt. He began to loosen his tie as he stepped in the house, kicking the door shut behind him. He sat down on the couch as he pulled his tie off and draped it over the arm of the couch. He sighed heavily and ran a hand over his face as he leaned back.<p>

The cat mewled at him as he padded over to where the Welshman was sitting on his couch. He jumped up onto his lap and sat there, staring expectantly at Ianto. The man scratched under the tom's chin, face staring at the ceiling.

"I really think I mucked things up today Tangerine… and I forgot to go to Tesco's," Ianto sighed, looking back at the cat. The tom mewled at him, and Ianto sighed softly. He suddenly wondered why he was even bothering with Jack anymore. It was obvious the man was no longer interested, and probably never had been before. He frowned. The orange cat stared at him with his pretty green eyes, and suddenly, Ianto felt himself begin to tell the small animal everything. He didn't know why he was suddenly telling this cat everything, but it felt right, and he believed he might just need to get it off his chest.

The tom seemed to listen intently, and didn't once try and leave Ianto's lap. He stayed when Ianto grew angry, and he stayed when he grew sad. He stayed when Ianto suddenly stared to cry with frustration, and he stayed when the man cursed himself for his stupidity. Tangerine was determined to stay with this man who had taken him in for as long as he needed comfort. The man didn't seem like a bad guy, and he felt bad for him.

Yes, perhaps Ianto was going crazy, but it helped. It really helped. Tangerine had stayed glued to him the whole time he ranted and raved, and it made Ianto feel better. Much, much better. So much better, that Ianto was able to peel himself off the couch after spilling to his new cat and head back out to Tesco's.

As Ianto loaded his cart full of all sorts of different foods to have his cat try, he couldn't help but wonder how much this small animal was going to change his life.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I'd love to hear how you felt about this chapter as well! Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from Torchwood. This is unbeta'd, so any and all mistakes are mine.**

* * *

><p>Ianto was slowly growing accustom to the his new life owning a pet. He had always wanted a dog, but having his cat was no work at all. Considering how tight his work hours are, this was very convenient for both the cat and himself. He enjoyed having something to come home to everyday. Before, his home had felt empty and bereft without Jack's 'larger-than-life' presence; now, however, his little Tangerine would greet him every day as he got home with a mewl and a flickering tail.<p>

Ianto would be lying if he said he wasn't a little obsessed with the small orange cat. It really was too cute, not that he would tell anyone that. He liked to talk to Tangerine when he came home, especially if he had had a bad day at work; knowing how Torchwood was, that was quite often for him. He always felt like Tangerine was actually listening to him speak. It was a little strange if he were to be honest.

He felt embarrassed entrusting all of his bitterness and grief in his cat. He knew he could very well go to Tosh; she would actually be able to talk back and would listen just as well, but he knew he would feel uncomfortable working with her if he explained all of his troubles. Especially the troubles concerning Jack.

He winced. He didn't even like to think about the man anymore. His cold shoulder was both irritating and a little hurtful. So was his blatant flirting with Gwen. Ianto was aware the team knew about their relationship; he also knew they were beginning to pick up on the tension between them. He was determined not to let it effect his work, however. He was a professional man, and it really was his own fault he got involved with his flirtatious, immortal boss. His personal affairs, really shouldn't be shared in the work place anyways, and that is a big reason why he was so grateful to have Tangerine with him.

His relationship with is animal was different. He fed the tom and allowed him out of the house whenever he wanted in exchange for someone to talk to. He really was such a strange cat.

Ianto never did get around to actually feeding Tangerine cat food. The cat never even tried anything that was made for cats. That both infuriated and amused Ianto. For a while, Ianto was afraid the tom would get ill, Tangerine being a cat and all, but the cat had no difficulties digesting the foods and seemed much happier to eat any meal Ianto made or ordered then to even look at the dry pellets.

The orange cat had also picked up the habit of leaving in the evening and coming back inside to cuddle up to Ianto in the middle of the night. The first night Tangerine had slipped out through the open window and into the night was stressful for him. He had went to bed depressed, only to be pleasantly surprised in the middle of the night when the orange tom jumped up to cuddle up to him. He started to let the cat out every evening, for it seemed urgent to him.

Ianto didn't mind it really, but sometimes he wondered what exactly that cat was doing for those few hours. Speaking of which...

Ianto looked up from the book he was reading as Tangerine hopped off his lap and pranced to the open window. His tail shivered as he jumped up onto the window sill. He looked towards Ianto for a moment, before he hopped outside. Ianto settled back into his seat and picked up his book, sighing contently through his nose. He knew that cat would be back soon enough with his cold paws; Ianto wasn't going to waste one of his free nights worrying about Tangerine.

"Such a strange cat," Ianto said aloud as he stared reading once more.

* * *

><p>Tangerine jumped down from the window and bounded down the fire escape, loving the feel of the wind ruffling his fur. He had definitely gotten used to both being in this form and being owned by one Ianto Jones. He didn't mind the latter so much; Ianto was kind to him, and was most definitely easy on the made his impromptu mission both exciting and pleasurable. Ianto's life was very interesting as well, and the more he told him, the more Tangerine believed he could trust him.<p>

His heart ached for the Welshman, who confided in him quite frequently. At first he had listened so closely to the man because he wanted to find out what was happening to the Globe and potentially the others, but as time went by, he began to listen because he wanted to. The man was too bitter for someone so young, and Tangerine was actually concerned. Weird, honestly. It was supposed to be a mission and he ended up having a lot of fun. He couldn't wait to truly speak to Ianto when he was himself again; oh the things they could talk about.

His cheerful thoughts made his gait bouncy, but still cautious. He headed down the alley, sticking to the shadows. He wanted to avoid a potential run in with a stray cat or dog. He never wanted to go through that again; he was very lucky he was good at running in any form. 'Those dogs are the worst... I really would hate to go that way...'

He crept along, smiling as his ears picked up a soft chatter at the end of the ally. He picked up his pace, his little tail curling gently with glee. Tangerine was able to see the others when Ianto let him out. It was a true pity Ianto only let him out when he was around, but knew it was only because the man cared. Still, considering Ianto's work schedule, he didn't get out often, which meant he wasn't able to see the rest of the survivors very often. He bounded up towards where the rest of the group, all of them sprawled out across cardboard boxes and among dirty cans.

Tangerine wrinkled his nose; he wished they didn't have to hide all the time, but knew they couldn't risk being spotted by either the locals or any Slanerians who may have come through the Rift after them. Yes, he had found that out from Ianto as well. The man often had nightmares about the facility on Flat Holm Island, and found a little comfort by turning his face into Tangerine's warm pelt in the middle of the night. Tangerine shuttered; they were very lucky they had the Globe to protect them, he honestly couldn't imagine what could've possible happened to them if the Globe wasn't there.

He shook the thoughts away as he padded over to the dark-haired she-cat. They had all grown so much closer over the course of their undercover mission. The mutual want to survive made the complete strangers almost as close as family, and Tangerine loved it. He grinned toothily at the she-cat, sitting on his haunches and licking his paw before running it over his ear. He didn't have to say a word to gather the group.

As soon as he sat, the twins, who were tussling, broke apart and quickly bounced over.

"Oooo! Look who's back!"

The other two toms looked up at the all the noise the twins were making and perked up slightly, both getting to their feet. The bluish cat slunk over and seated himself beside the dark she-cat, and the cat with black splotches over his eyes laid down beside the twin tom, his tail curling over his hind feet.

Tangerine beamed at the group of survivors. They were all so brave and strong, especially considering they were civilians at the time of the attack. He didn't think they'd find him after he had left with Ianto, but he never completely lost hope.

When he first began to live with Ianto, he would go out every night to search for them. Surprisingly, they had found him first... in the middle of the day. He nearly had a heart attack when one of the twins threw their body against the window to get his attention. Opening the window as interesting, but he knew he could never do that to Ianto again. The half-hearted scolding he got when he got back was so pitiful, he swore he'd never sneak out again. Despite that minor set back, thought, he had been so relieved to find them, and thanked the Globe profusely for helping them along. Knowing she had given the others directions was soothing; she was still connected to her minds, which meant she was safe.

Tangerine sat up a little straighter, his tail twitching as he began the brief meetings they had when he had the chance to report back to them. "Good evening! Or... night, I suppose. Before we get started on the really important stuff, I'd like to talk a little about how you all have been holding up. Are you eating alright?"

The dark she-cat cocked her head to the side, falling into her leading position. "We aren't dead yet, obviously, but it would be nice to actually have a meal and a warm bed to sleep in; these dumpsters and cardboard boxes just aren't cutting it." The twin she-cat nodded harshly, and her twin bumped her to shut her up.

Tangerine felt a little guilty for having such a relaxed life while the others were out here to fend for themselves on an alien planet. He knew it wasn't fair, and he was ready to change that for them. His excitement returned as he surveyed his tired team.

"Well, that's about to change," he said confidently. "As you all know, I'm currently staying with Ianto Jones, the Archivist of Torchwood Three. For the past three months, I've stayed with Ianto and I've learned a lot about what they do there," he smiled to himself, thinking of all the things he had also learned about the man personally. "They help aliens; we know that. We also know they have the Globe and have yet to harm it, which reveals a lot about the establishment and how they run it." He paused, knowing the next part was crucial.

"I believe it's time we reveal ourselves. Ianto Jones has proven himself to be trustworthy, and with his and Torchwood's help, we might be able to start a life here where we aren't just common Earth pets,"Tangerine looked a little sad for a moment. "We all know we can't go back, but perhaps we can start again here, all fresh and new with the Globe. We could even get protection." Tangerine held his breath as he waited for the others to speak. The twins spoke first. They looked at each other with glee, before quickly back to the orange tom.

"It's about time! We were thinking-"

"That'd you'd never get their help, that we'd be-"

"Stuck like this forever so we don't stick out in society and that would be-"

"Just awful!" they finished in unison, their backs quivering with excitement as they leaned forward towards Tangerine with an intense gleam in their eyes. The dark-haired she-cat eyed them with exasperation before turning back and nodding her head at Tangerine.

"Do what you have to. We'll be here to back you up, all of us," she turned to the other two toms, and they both nodded in agreement. The she-cat turned back to Tangerine. "Do you have a plan?" The orange tom smiled. She always was the practical one. He puffed his chest out slightly.

"Don't you worry about a plan; I have it all figured out. What we do have to worry about are our names. Our original names will be too hard for the human tongue to pronounce, so we'll just have to use the human translation," Tangerine said, smiling. "We're used to changing our names though, so that shouldn't be so difficult." He turned his thoughts inwards to the spark in the back of his mind. "A tiny bit of help Globe?"

He felt the orb chuckle in his mind, before sending out the information to the others as he had asked. She had been the one to explain their predicament about the language barrier to him in the first place. Tangerine turned to the survivors, waiting for them to speak their new names. The dark-haired she-cat was the first to speak, her face intrigued.

"Cide," she said softly, her tail flicking curiously.

"Four," said the cat with the black splotches over his eyes.

"Harmony," the bluish cat said quietly.

"Flare!" cried the twin she-cat as she jumped to her feet.

"Flame!" cried the twin tom with just as much excitement, his tail shivering with glee as he stared at his twin.

Tangerine nodded and grinned, waiting for the Globe to give him his new name. When she murmured his new name to his mind, he made a face.

"Really? Jason? That's what it means? That's a really generic name on Earth! And it doesn't take after my gifts at all!" Tangerine, now Jason, said, twitching his ears with irritation. The Globe seemed to beam at him in his mind.

_Names aren't important, Jason. I couldn't find a direct translation. Besides, you're name was rather generic back at home, so I picked a common name from this time period._

"I suppose that's because my gift's so generic too. That's so boring," Jason grumbled, his tail curling with distaste as he rolled his eyes. Cide's eyes smirked, and Flare giggled. Jason glared at the two she-cats, before he rose to his feet. They didn't have time to dwell; he did promise they would be out of this form by tomorrow. He might as well get a good nights sleep and prepare for the explaining he had to do tomorrow. He shook himself.

"Whatever, as the Globe said, it's not important. I'll go through with my plan tomorrow when Ianto gets home. One more day of this form guys, I promise," Jason vowed. He touched noses with each of the newly-names survivors, before turning and prancing back down the alley. He heard the others erupt with chatter as soon as he turned and he chuckled fondly; they really were a good set of Tupani. Right now, though, they weren't important. He had a Welshman to get back to! He smiled to himself as he padded along.

"I hope he's in the shower by the time I get back!"

* * *

><p>The captain of the Slanerian fleet steered his ship closer to the crackling storm. Another storm had been picked up almost immediately after the other faded. He had ordered his crew to scan the storm and was surprised when they picked up traces of the Tupani in the storm. This was a completely different storm, and he was wary of what may lay within. He eyed it speculatively, now wondering if perhaps the Tupani never made it through alive. He paused; he wanted to see the Globe with his own eyes, dying now would destroy that dream. He made his decision.<p>

"Send out the Crep'vls and one fourth of our fleet," he barked sharply, his eyes still focused on the storm. The crew behind him looked at each other uneasily for a moment, before they nodded. They both began to type away rapidly at their panels, concentration scrunching up their faces. There was a slight hiss as the locks attaching the pods to the underside of the ship clicked back. He heard another one of his crew shouting orders to part of the fleet. He smiled when a large swarm of ship got into formation in front of the Mother ship. The captain watched as thousands of the slimy creatures and their cases were paired up with the ships.

The captain leaned forward on the panel in front of him. "Go." The all clear was given behind him and he watched as one forth of his fleet flew right into most likely certain death. He grimaced, his yellow eyes dim. He knew that was no ordinary storm, even if he didn't know exactly what it was. He knew most of them wouldn't make it, but he had to try; that ship couldn't have disappeared into thin air with that storm.

"Keep an eye on their tracking devices. If they pick up any signs of those Tupani, let me know. We don't advance until we know exactly what we're dealing with," he said firmly to the crew behind him, before he turned sharply, turning his back to the storm. He had sent hundreds, thousands in; he figured at least one of them would land where the Tupani were and alert them to their whereabouts.

He hoped they were on the right track; he could almost feel the power of the Globe settling in his hands. He smiled blissfully to himself, pushing the loss out of his mind..

"Not long now. Not long at all."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: Thanks for the feedback I've gotten! It's a little short and it's not really my best work, so I'd really like to hear what you guys thought of it. This may be the last chapter I post for a while. My computer has been acting up lately and I won't be able to write for a little bit. Thanks for reading!**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: Thanks again to all who have reviewed, favorited, and alerted this story! My computers been fixed, so hopefully I'll get back on track with this uploading schedule too!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing from Torchwood. This is unbeta'd so any and all mistakes are mine. Some spoilers for S2E4 'Meat.'**

* * *

><p>The pilot of the Slanerian ship gritted her teeth as she entered the storm. The ship rocked and groaned under the assault of the storms winds that caused the small battle ship to swerve unsteadily beside the others in her fleet. She gasped as a particularly big flash of lightning blinded her, as well as causing her team behind her to gasp. As she blinked away the circles of light, she suddenly realized that her fellow battle ships were no longer to be seen. Although, that wasn't nearly as important as the fact that they were doing a direct nose dive towards the ground.<p>

She whipped her head around, checking to make sure there Crep'vl had made it through with them as she pulled up on the controls, swearing heavily in her native language. Above the warning sirens, she could hear the other two shouting to each other, and knew they were contemplating ejecting. The pilot knew this would be a bad idea; they would lose the Crep'vl and potentially the scent of the Tupani; she refused to disappoint their leader.

She continued to pull up on the controls, her blue arms quivering with force of yanking up. The ground was getting closer and closer, the pilot already ready to die for her cause. Then, suddenly, the ship cooperated. She dove up towards the sky, her heart thudding in her chest. She heard the other two sigh heavily behind her.

No knowing if they were out of trouble, she quickly cloaked her ship before coasting down towards an area covered with vegetation. She wasn't sure what planet they were on, and the ship was barely holding it together. As she landed the ship jerkily, she knew they would have to explore to see what they were facing. They they would let the Crep'vl lose in hopes that perhaps the Tupani were here.

She leaned back in her chair as the ship came to a complete stop. She turned around in her seat, throwing a blue elbow over the chair.

"Looks like we made it through alone. You know what we have to do; find the Tupani and the Globe, if we are where we think they are. Before we send out the Crep'vl, though, we need to investigate. Then, and only then, can we go hunting," she said, her teeth baring in a primal grin at the thought of a good chase for whatever may be on this planet. The other two answered with grins just as sinister and hungry.

"Come on, let's go scout out the planet."

* * *

><p>Ianto couldn't pinpoint what exactly he was feeling. He could feel the burn of a mixture of humiliation and anger as well as a gut wrenching ache of grief and overwhelming exhaustion. He couldn't believe Jack had said that directly in front of him. It was one thing to completely ignore him, but having Jack practically confess his love to Gwen right in front of him was low, even for Jack.<p>

Ianto was beginning to see how much Jack didn't want him in that loving, caring way. Sure there was lust, and he love him like he loved Tosh and Owen, but he was not _in_ love with him. Which, honestly, he wasn't really expecting. He was okay dealing with the situation as he previously did: taking what little affection Jack did show him and dwelling on it until he had fooled himself into believe that perhaps Jack was developing those kinds of feelings for him. Owen had always been right. He was only a 'part-time shag' to Jack; Jack didn't need him, not like he needed Gwen. Ianto understood that, he did, and sure, he would hate to let Jack go because he had fallen for his captain, but he only wanted Jack to be happy.

He pulled his coat around him tighter, bitterness already pooling in his stomach. He wanted to like Gwen, he really did, but he couldn't help but hate they way she got away with everything. He was jealous the way she attracted Jack in ways he couldn't, and disliked her self-righteous attitude. He couldn't believe she had dared to tell them they had no idea what it was like out there; she had not right. They had lost people they had loved to his job; they knew what love was. They also knew the pain that came with love in ways Gwen couldn't begin to imagine. Then there she was, destroying a a perfectly good relationship with a man who love her for another man who would never provide for her in the same way.

Yes, Ianto was jealous and bitter. Jealousy was a new thing to him; he prided himself on his calm acceptance of Jack's nature, but something in the way Jack perked up around Gwen seemed to rile something up inside him that he was ashamed of.

He side twinged angrily as he caught his foot in a crack in the sidewalk and stumbled. He had opted to just get home instead of linger and allow Owen to check him out. The man was already in a bad mood after having to put down the giant space whale and didn't want to be subjected to Owen's barb because he was tired as well. He also didn't want to think about why Jack was stalking Gwen and Rhys on the CCTV; it was only another stinging reminder.

Most of all, though, Ianto just wanted to get home to see Tangerine. He wanted to take a hot shower and curl up with his and read while he drank coffee. He wanted to pretend today had never happened and move on with his life. So what if Jack didn't want him around. So what if Gwen Cooper walked around Torchwood like she was still the leader. None of that matter when he was at home. He would take the days one at a time and forget about them. He could do that. He's done it before.

If he repeated it to himself enough times, he was hoping it would come true.

He climbed the steps up to his flat wearily, his emotional and physical state making his feet feel like lead. He was thinking about skipping the shower, but after looking down at his ruined suit, stinking suit, he decided it was probably for the best.

He sighed as he approached his flat, taking his key out and fitting it in the lock. He let himself inside and shut the door gently behind him. He was just kicking off his shoes when he heard a noise. He froze, wondering if it was just the cat. Straining his ears, he waited for Tangerine to come prancing down the hallway like he did when he broke something, but the orange cat never came.

There was a slamming that came from his bedroom and Ianto's eyes narrowed, his eyebrows furrowing as he slowly pulled out his gun. That sounded to much like a drawer slamming for it to be the cat. He crept down the main hallway and into the living room, his gun pointed in front of him. He looked left and right, before hearing another noise come from the bedroom. Into crept down the hallway carefully, eyeing the door to his bedroom wearily. It was cracked open a fraction and there was light spilling out from the room. Ianto paused; he always shut off his lights when he left the house. His eyes hardened, knowing now for sure someone had broke in.

AS he got closer, he could now hear someone shuffling around in his bedroom, possibly going through his things. The though alone made him bristle with irritation; he really didn't need this right now. He paused outside the door, the gun still aimed firmly in front of him. He took two calming breaths, before kicking the door open and rushing inside. What he saw stunned him for a moment.

There, in the middle of the room, was a man. Only, not really a man... no Ianto was fairly sure this was an alien. Of course it was; there was a long slender tail protruding form the back of the trousers the alien was wearing. Upon further inspection, Ianto realized those were his trousers... his suit trousers. And his suit jacket. And was that his...

The alien turned around, completely unfazed by the gun in his face. "Dammit! How do you tie this stupid thing," the orange-haired alien grumbled,his fingers pulling at a purple tie. He looked up at the confused Ianto, his face full of frustration. "You make it look so easy! Jeez!" the man huffed, and Ianto was speechless for a moment.

The man's eyes were bright green and his pupils were slit and a yellowish color. There was a liberal amount of orange fur on the backs of his hands and his nails were sharp and pointed, his fingers slender and long. He was very much humanoid, but looked part animal as well. Ianto was shaken out of his dazed state when the alien took a step forward.

"Do you think you could-"

"Don't come any closer."

When Ianto had found his voice, he was surprised it was as firm as it was. he really was quite tied and didn't want to deal with this right now. The ginger alien paused, his hands still on the tie. He looked as if he was going to take another step, so Into put his thumb up and cocked the gun.

"I mean it," Ianto said, and finally the alien's hands shot into the air.

"You're right; purple definitely doesn't match this orange, but it's nothing to shoo me over," he said, his tail flickering with amusement. Ianto didn't smile, nor was he distracted by the flickering appendage.

"Who are you, how did you get in here?" Ianto asked, adjusting his hands on the gun. He really hoped this alien wasn't one of the 'I'm going to conquer the universe' type. The alien looked a little offended.

"You mean you don't recognize me? Come on, Ianto, take a good look, who do I remind you of?" the alien asked, his hands till in the air. Ianto suddenly stiffened, but didn't allow any surprise to cross his features at the use of his name.

"How do you know my name?" he asked, his palms starting to sweat. He really wasn't fit to deal with this right now. he knew he should've called someone, even if he didn't want to see anyone from Torchwood at least till tomorrow at eight. The alien rolled his eyes.

"I've been living with you for the past three months, of course I know your name!" the alien said, his hands flexing in the air. Ianto's brows furrowed, before he shook his head, growing angry.

"I'm being serious."

"So am I!" the alien said indignantly, before he sighed. "I suppose I have to spell it out for you, hmm?"

"Let's see, who have you recently let into your home for free. Who have you cuddled up to every night for the past three months? Who have you told all your little secrets too?" the alien asked, already relaxing as he saw Ianto lower the gun a fraction.

Ianto couldn't believe what the alien was saying. He didn't answer for a moment. This was crazy...

"Are... are you implying that you're my cat?" the Welshman asked with disbelief. The alien grinned, revealing a set of sharp canines as he tapped the side of his nose.

"Got it in one! See, I knew you were a bright one!"

Ianto's head spun, before he quickly re-aimed the gun. "That's impossible, stop lying to me."

The alien groaned in frustration. "Why are you so damn stubborn." He rolled his eyes. "Do you want me to prove it to ya?" the alien asked, his hands coming down to rest on his hips. Ianto's eyes narrowed, before he nodded. The alien sighed.

"Okay, fine, I figured it would come to this anyways. Let me tell you something that only your Tangerine would know," the alien offered. Ianto shifted uncomfortably. he did share a lot with Tangerine... most of it he would never tell another soul... He nodded again.

The alien eyed Ianto carefully, before stepping closer until his chest hit the gun. He looked at the Welshman very seriously, before he whispered softly, "I know that one of the nights after Lisa died, when you found yourself stumbling into the captain's bed as usual, you were going to kill him." Ianto's grip on the gun tightened progressively and his hands were beginning to shake. "Well, now you know that wouldn't have done any good, but before, you were ready to end him. You had the gun out and everything. The chamber filled. You even pulled the hammer back. But something stopped you," the alien said quietly, his eyes quietly inspecting Ianto's bright blue ones.

Ianto didn't feel any pressure on his mind; the shields Torchwood One demanded everyone learned how to put up were still in place. This alien actually knew. He swallowed hard as the ginger alien continued.

"I know how close you are to ending your employment at Torchwood, but I also know you never could because you want to help people. You didn't kill Jack because that isn't you. You wouldn't kill him now even though you know he'd pop right back up. You wouldn't dare because that's who you are, Ianto. You help people. And right now, I need your help. I need you to trust me," he said seriously. Ianto stared at him, his heart thudding. Something pricking in the backs of his eyes and he felt helpless. He bit his lip, before his hand fell limply to his side.

"God... is that... are you really Tangerine?" Ianto asked, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. The alien suddenly lit up, his seriousness gone in a blink of an eye.

"It's Jason now," the alien said, visibly relieved Ianto believed him. Ianto arched an eyebrow at his name. The alien seemed to understand for he snorted.

"Jason, I know, right? The Globe was adamant that's what it be though," he said with a sigh, rolling his eyes to the ceiling. Ianto blinked at Jason, before he staggered, having to sit down.

"This is too much," he said, gripping his hair. He just wanted to shower and sleep. That's all he had wanted after today; was that too much to ask?

It was at this moment Jason realized there was something going on with the Welshman that had nothing to do with current situation. He could see it in the way Ianto favored one side and the lines that were beginning to develop in his young face were more pronounced. He knelt down in front of the Welshman, his head cocked curiously.

"Are you okay? Did something happen today?" he asked softly, watching Ianto take in a shaky breath. he shook his head firmly, pulling himself together and looking down at Jason, his face set and grim. He was slightly unnerved by Jason's closeness, before he remembered that he had been his cat and has been in his lap 24/7 for a long time. Was now really the time to be uncomfortable? He sighed, pushing the feeling away.

"Doesn't matter. What exactly do you need my help with?" Jason could feel the unspoken signal to back off, and so he pushed Ianto's troubled gaze to the back of his mind and began to focus on the rest of their plan.

Jason grinned, and Ianto was suddenly very uneasy.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I know this is kind of a short one, and the ending was abrupt, but more will come soon! This is going to start to get a little AU from here on out. I appreciate any and all feedback on how I'm doing so far. Thanks for reading!**


End file.
